Method of and apparatus for dealcoholizing beer and the like



NOV. 17, 1931. Q Bh scHNEl'gLE 1,832,587

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEALCOHOLIZING EER AND THE LIKE Filed July so, 1925 2 sheets-snee: 1

DE 6435004 7' 0R sri/m7 22 NOV. 17, 1931. c. B. scHNElBLE METHOD OF AND APPRATUS FOR DEALCOHOLIZING BEER AND THE LIKE Filed July 50, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n'o chamberA in which the Patented Nov. 17,: 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEn CLAUDE is.`l SGHNEIRLE, or Los scHNErRLE, IRENE s. CLARK, NAME or JOSEPH SCHNEIRLE TRUST METHOD F AND APPARATUS FOR DEALCOHOLIZING BEER AND THE Application led July .A `This invention relates to -a method of and apparatus for dealcoholizing beer and the like and will be readily understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a preferred form of apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the decarbonating chamber and associated parts on the lfne 2-2 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a suitable still column, to which the beer or the like is supplied at an intermediate point by pipe 2, and in which the beeris dealcoholized in the lower portion and the alcohol fractionated in the upper portion, reflux being returned to the beer residue.

carbon dioxide is removed from the beer or the like before it is fed into the still column 1. 4 is a heat exl changer of the double tube type in which the incoming beer is preheated by the residue Lfrom the still column V1. 5 isa brine cooler of the double tube type in which the carbon dioxide from the carbonating chamber is redissolved in the residue from the column still 1 and the dealcoholized, carbonated beer cooled by brine. l.

The column still 1 may suitably be similar to that shown in U. S.. patent application Serial No. 433,376, filed December 27, 1920 yand comprises in superimposed relation a reflux condensing part6, a dephlegmating part' 7 above the pipe .2, a stripping part 8 below the Jpipe 2and a heating part 9 at the base ofgthe column. The sections of the reflux condensing part 6 of the tower are provided with cooling coils which are connected in series by pipes 10. Cold water or other cooling medium n is\supplied to the coils by pipe 11 and pump 12. The water passes from the coils by pipe 13 andthe How through the coils is regulated in accordance with the temperaure of vapors at th top of the column by a thermostat therein, connected by line 14 with'a thermostat control ,15 which iseconnected by line 16 with valve 17 controlling the flow of water through -the coil at the' outlet pipe 13. The heating ANGELES,

3 is a decarbonatingl LIKE.

, 1926. Serial No. 125,940.

part of the column 9 is provided with heating coils which are supplied with steam by the pipe 18, controlled by valve 19 which is controlled by thermostat 20 through line 21, the thermostat control being connected with a thermostat in the column at a suitable inter- ',mediate point 20 above the pipe 2. Steam and condensed water are removed from the hea ting coils through line 22 by pump 23.

The top of the tower is provided with a pipe 56 for leading off the alcohol vapors. This pipe is connected tp a suitable condens- ,ing apparatus and an exhausting pump (not shown) to maintain a high degree of .vacuum in the still column. y

The liquid residue is drawn oli'l by the pipe CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 CLAUDE B. AND BENJAMIN B. SCHNEIDER AS TRUSTEES UNDER .2.6 andA pump 27 and fed through V4valved pipe 28 to thegheat exchanger 4, in which it is cooled bv the incoming beer, preheating the latter. -The heat exchanger 4 is suitably of the double tube type, and incoming beer travelling in countercurrent, the incoming beer being supplied to the inner tube from pipe 36 and the preheated beer passing into an intermediate point in the decarbonating chamber 3 by pipe 37 which may be provided with a valve 38. The deqarbonating chamber is preferably of circular cross-section and is provided above and below the pipe 37 with baffles 39 and 39b of Y' lthe ring and disk type, each of the battles emv' ` mulation of liquid thereon. The pipe 37 extends into the chamber 3 and is provided with arose or distributing nozzle 37a which is adapted to distribute the incoming beer over the outgoing residue downwardlv pitched to prevent aceuthe baiie-ring 39" therebeneath and assists in l the breaking up of the foam. A steam coil 40 may be provided in the upper part of the chamber 3, .if necessary. for the purpose of breaking up the foam. kThe bottom of the decarbonating chamber 3 communicates with a trapped receptacle 54. at a lower level and provided with gauge glass 57. The pipe 2 leads from the bottom of the chamber ,54 to the still, and is povided with a cont-rol valve 55 and a check valve 56. 4From the top of chamber 3, a carbon dioxide pipe 41 leads into a liquid trap 42 provided with a valved return pipe 43, which conducts any liquid separated therein to the base of the chamber 3, and with a gas conduit 44 which is connected with the intake of pump 45. The pipe 44 is provided with a vacuum regulating valve-46 which is operated by the difference of pressure between the atmosphere and the pressure in the decarbonating` chamber 3, to maintain the latter at a suitable pressure for the effective removal of the carbon dioxide together` if desired, with a certain quantity of alcohol therein. From the pump 45, the pipe 47 leads the gas, compressed, for example. to to 40 pounds gauge. to a receiver 48. from which it is conducted by pipe 49 and injected into the dealcoholized residue in the brine cooler 5 at 50. The brine cooler 5 is also of the double tube countercurrent type. Refrigerated brine is admitted to the linner tube at 51 and passed out at 52. Residue, cooled in the heat exchanger 4, and carbon dioxide from pipe 49 pass through the outer tubes and out at 53. the gas being dissolved in the dealcoholized liquid during the cooling of the latter. 7

An example'of the operation of the pres ent invention is as follows: Beer to be dealcoholized is pumped into pipe 36through heat exchanger 4, pipe 37. decarbonating chamber 3 and pipe 2 into the still column. rl`he heating part of the column 9 is supplied through pipe 18, with steam at lsubatmospheric pressure. suitably at a temperature of about C.. and with a condensing temperature of about 56 5 C..- vacuum being maintained b v pump 23. Within the still column 1, a vacuum o f 24 to 25 inches of mercury is A maintained by an exhausting pump connected with the alcohol vapor line 56. .The thermostat control 15 is adjusted so as to maintain a temperature of about 331%0 C. at the top of the still and water is forced through the coils of the reux condensing part 6 by the pump 12. The thermostat control 20 is adiusted so as to maintain a temperatnv-e yof 46 C. at the point,'20 of lthe dephlegmating part of the column. Under these conditions the alcohol issubstantially completely removed in concentrated. form from the beer and its vapors pass ntf through pipe 56 to suitable condensers. The `dealco holized liquid passes from the tower through pipe 26 at a temperature of about 56.4 C. and is pumped by pump 27 through pipe 28, heat exchanger 4, brine cooler 5 arid out through pipe53 to suitable receptacles. In passing through the heat exchanger 4 the incoming material is heated by the outgoing delalcoholized lquideto a temperature of 50 C.

j at which temperature-it is passed to the decarbonating chamberl 3. Within the cham-l ber. a vacuum of about 2 inches ofmercury is maintained by pump 45, the valve 46 being adJusted for the desired degree of vacuum.

V'Under these conditions the beer is -substantially decarbonated before it enters the still column, the separatedcarbon dioxide being removed by the pump 45 and compressed to about 35 pounds per square inch, at which pressure it is retained in the receiver 48. The f valve in the pipe 49 is adjusted so as to maintain a pressure of 35-40 pounds per square inch, which is suitable for the effective injecf tion of the carbon dioxide into the dealcoygauge glass 57.

According to the foregoing example, the beer orA the like is substantially completely deprived of alcohol. By slight modification, f

a, partial removal of the alcohol may bey effected. For example, the valve 46 may be adjusted so tliat an increased vacuum is applied to chamber 3 so that a certain part of the alcohol passes over withthe carbon dioxide and is fed back into the beer at 50. Or the still 1 may be operated so that the residue therefrom retains a certain amount of alcohol therein as will readily be understood by those skilled in the art. Or a combination of c these methods may be employed, that is, a certain amount `of alcohol may be returned with the carbon dioxide at 50 and a further certain amount may be left in the residue of the still 1 so as to give the desiredpercentage in the recarbonated beer.

I claim:

1. -The method of dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, which consists in heating the beer and thereafter subjecting it to subatmospheric pressure to remove carbon Adioxide therefrom, subjecting the decarbonated beer -to distillation to remove alcohol therefrom,

cooling the'dealcoholized beer and returning the carbon dioxide thereto while cooling.

2. The method of dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, which consists in heating beer,distributing the heated beer in finely divided form and thereafter subjecting it to reduced pressure to remove carbon dioxide therefrom, subjecting the decarbonated beer to distillation to remove alcohol therefrom, cooling the dealcoholized beer. compressing the car,

bon dioxide removed from the beer and returning same to the beer while cooling.

3. The Vmethod of dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, which consists in heating the beer and thereafter subjecting it to the action f an evacuating pumpto abstract and remove carbon dioxide therefrom,I ubjecting the decarbonated beer to distilla ion to remove alcobol therefrom, passing lthe hot dealcoholized beer in heat exchange relationship with fresh beer whereby said beer is heated to a suitable decarbonating temperature and the i dealcoholized beer is cooled, and injecting the ation, under pressure into the cooled dealcarbon dioxide from the decarbonating oper- Y temperature of about 56 C. from the distilling apparatus and forcing it in countercurrent to and in heat exchange relationl with incoming fresh beer thereby heating said fresh beer to a temperature of about 50 C., compressing the carbon dioxide to about pounds per square inch and injecting it into the cooled dealcoholized beer and subjecting the mixture of gas and beer to further cooling to effect solution and stabilization.

'5. The method of dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol. whic consists in heating the beer andfthereafter subjecting it to subatmospheri pressure to remove carbon dioxide and part of the alcohol therefrom. subjecting the decarbonated beer to distillation to remove alcohol therefrom, cooling 'the dedioxide and the accompanying alcohol thereto while cooling'.l 6. The method of dealcoholizing beer 'and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, which consists in heating'the beer1 and thereafter subjecting it to the action of an evacuating pump to abstract 4'and removel carbon dioxide and a part of the alcohol therefrom. subjecting the'. decarbonated. beer to distillation to remove alcohol therefrom, passing the hot dealcoholized beer in heat exchange relationship with freshl beer whereby said beer is heated to a suitable decarbonating temperature and the dealcoholized beer is cooled, injecting the carbon dioxide and alcohol from the decarbonating operation under pressure into the cooled dealcoholized beer.

7 An apparatus for dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, comprising means for heating the beer. a decarbonating chamber. meansy for conducting theeheated beer to said chamand alcohol, comprising a heat exchanger, means for supplying beer thereto, a decarbonating chamber connectedtherewith, a gas n line connected with said chamber, a pump in said gas line, liquid conduit means from said chamber to a still, aliquid conduit from said still to said heat exchanger, means for conducting cooled liquid from said heat exvchanger to a further cooling means and an injector for injecting compressed carbon dioxide from said gas line into last said coolmg means.

9. In an apparatus for dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, a decarbonating column, baiiies therein adapted to eiect a distribution of the beer while avoiding accumulation of liquid, means for supplying liquid thereto at an invtermediate point in the column, means for supplying heat within thecolumn above the point of liquid supply, a gas line from the top of said column, an exhausting pump connected with said line, and liquid conduit means from the bottom of said column.

t l0. In an apparatus for dealcoholizing 'beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, a decarbonating column, ring and plate baffles therein pitched downwardly to avoid accumulation of liquid, liouid supply means above one of said ring baies and adapted to sub-divide the incoming liquid, a coil within said column above the liquid supply means adapted for the passage of a heating luidtherethrough, a gas line connecte-d with the top of said column and a liquid draw-oit line at the base of the column.

11. In' an apparatus for dealcoholi`zing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide and alcohol, a decarbonating column, baiiies therein, means for'supplying liquid thereto at an intermediate point inthe column, a coil in the upper part of said column said coil being adapted for the passage of heating fluid therethrough, a gas line connected with the top of the column and a liquid line connected with the base of the column.

CLAUDE B. SCHNEIBLE.

ber, a carbon dioxide line from said chalnber. a'pump for drawing off carbon dioxide and compressing same, a column stillg a conduit from the base of said chamber to an intermediate part of said still. means for conducting liquid from said still to said heating means for the incoming liouid and means for injecting the carbon dioxide into the cooled liquid therefrom. j

8. An apparatus for dealcoholizing beer and like beverages containing carbon dioxide 

